Travis Kelce recently attended Super Bowl 2026, but without his bride-to-be, Taylor Swift. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end wasn’t one of the numerous players at the event. However, he drew significant attention as a nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Notably, towards the end of last month, Kelce withdrew his participation from the Pro Bowl 2026, fueling speculations about his possible retirement.
Travis Kelce makes appearance at Super Bowl 2026
Travis Kelce showed up to the Super Bowl 2026, where the Seattle Seahawks secured a huge 29-13 victory against the New England Patriots. The Happy Gilmore 2 actor, unaccompanied by Taylor Swift, dressed smartly for the event. He donned a black blazer, under which he wore a white evening shirt and grey pants. The 36-year-old also accessorized with a pair of black sunglasses.
At the event, he was one of the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which he had earlier been nominated for in 2020. He was previously named the club winner for the Kansas City Chiefs in December 2025. However, Kelce did not win the award, which went to Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner. Wagner received the accolade during the 15th NFL Honors, which took place on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
Established in 1970, the award — named after late Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton and presented by Nationwide — recognizes an NFL player’s on and off-field excellence. Each NFL team nominates one player who has positively impacted their community as a club winner. Out of these club winners, one is selected as the recipient of the Man of the Year Award.
Despite not winning the award, Kelce did win the 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year Nationwide Charity Challenge. Thus, he reportedly made history as the 11-year-old program’s first three-time winner. As a result, $35000 was donated to Kelce’s charity, Operation Breakthrough. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the charity aims to provide children with a safe, loving, and educational environment for children, in addition to empowering families via advocacy, emergency aid, and education.
